The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatuses for securing and/or identifying a link to a percutaneous probe, such as an electrode used for electrical nerve stimulation. Electrical therapy has long been used in medicine to treat pain and other conditions. For example, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) systems deliver electrical energy through electrode patches placed on the surface of a patient's skin to treat pain in the tissue beneath and around the location of the patches. One problem with TENS systems is that they may not provide patients with adequate relief. One approach to addressing this problem has been to deliver the electrical therapy percutaneously in a process termed “percutaneous neuromodulation therapy” (PNT) or “percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation” (PENS). This process can include inserting needle-like electrodes through the patient's skin to deliver electrical therapy more directly to the target nerves.
One method for applying percutaneous nerve stimulation is to insert acupuncture needles into the patient's skin and attach the needles to a wave form generator via cables and alligator clips to deliver percutaneous electrical currents. One drawback with this technique is that the acupuncture needles are typically exposed to the practitioner during insertion and removal. Accordingly, the practitioner can be exposed to blood-borne pathogens which might be present on the needle after the needle has been removed from the recipient.